


Half Dead Half the Time

by vagrantBreath



Series: Headlock [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Except not fully turned, F/F, M/M, Meteorstuck, Vampires, vampire!Dave, yet - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-23
Updated: 2016-05-10
Packaged: 2018-06-04 00:08:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Underage
Chapters: 9
Words: 14,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6632806
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vagrantBreath/pseuds/vagrantBreath
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It started with a nightmare of Dave's. Then real life became that nightmare.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Inside Out, Upside Down

If Dave was to be completely honest, the dream he had that night wasn’t at all surprising.

Years ago, he had this nightmare. It had stuck with him to the point he couldn’t sleep for a good week. Finally, he crashed one day as soon as he got home, probably putting Bro to all kinds of shame. He’d only been awake for a week straight. But his body just couldn’t take it anymore and he hit the ground face first. Got real intimate with the floor. At least Lil’ Cal kept him company and was the first thing he saw when he woke up.

He had a hard time denying that at ten years old, that had freaked him out a bit.

But the nightmare. At fifteen, all he could remember now was the terror. A little pain, right where one of his scars from strifing with Bro was. And the taste of something thick and cloying in his mouth as Bro stood over him. Sometimes, in some of the nightmares, he felt something cold against his throat before snapping awake. He couldn’t really say what the cold was, but given all the swords he grew up around, it didn’t take Rose to figure out the sharp blade was probably what was against his skin.

Anyway, the reason it wasn’t surprising was one part the fact he hadn’t had the dream in what felt like ever (one year, six months, twenty days, fifty-six minutes, two seconds) and one part the fact that Karkat actually landed a good hit on him.

He was getting better. Karkat. If he could manage to actually get inside of Dave guard and slam and elbow into his nose, the troll was doing a fuckton better than before. At least, that was what Dave told himself as he stumbled back, blood filled his mouth. It took a lot to pull back, to not switch into Bro-strife mode. This wasn’t like before. Karkat could accidentally kill him, and he’d just come back to life. No permanent harm done. He couldn’t do the same. Karkat wouldn’t come back. He couldn’t let this quick sparring session turn into a real life or death strife. If he did, and he was the one that was left standing...

Karkat took several steps back, alarm flashing over his face. Made sense; this was the first time he had seen Dave’s blood during one of these sparring sessions. “Man, don’t worry about it,” Dave told him, pulling back into a defensive stance. “If you can’t take a little blood now, you’re going to be fucked during the final battle when all this shit’s going to be flying everywhere.” He grinned, lifting his chin. “Come at me.”

It didn’t take long for the troll to come rushing at him, scythes first. Dodging was incredibly easy around him, considering how much he telegraphed his attacks. Karkat _had_ actually gotten a lot better at that - proof being the blood dripping onto the floor - but he still made it so obvious that Dave easily spilled Karkat on his ass and held the blade to his throat. “You’re dead.”

”FUCK!” And per usual, Karkat was a sore loser. Really, they were just trying to get better. So what if Dave utterly proved his godly ability to fight by beating a troll down so easily? Yeah, that’s what he thought. “I fucking had you!”

”Yeah, yeah,” Dave told him, pulling his sword back and offering a hand up. “Best out of three? I mean, I can totally go all day with whupping your ass.”

Karkat snorted, taking the hand up. “I think I’ve had enough of your self-important smugness for one day. A troll can only put up with so much.” His eyes dropped down, and Dave felt somewhat of a pang realizing he was looking at the blood dripping from his nose with guilt.

”Good fight to you too, babe.” The words were followed by an ironic wink, trying to cheer him up a little bit. Trying to prove he was okay.

The only thing that ran through his head as Karkat absconded was that he should probably clean up before going back to his room. Not just his face, but probably the floor too. He didn’t know what Kanaya thought of human blood, but it probably wasn’t a good idea to have it around a fucking alien vampire.

His bloody nose had started to slow. Absently, he licked the blood off his lips again, looking around for a towel to wipe his face off with. There had to be one. They brought towels with them to dry off with after getting all sweaty- there. Dave pulled it out, wiping at his face and staring at the bright red streak left on the fabric.

No way he’d mention it to anyone, but in some ways, he had kind of missed the taste of his own blood in his mouth. It was like an old friend, shaking a rusty handshake as it boogied down his throat. One of those things he didn’t realize he had missed it until he got a mouthful of it again. He found himself licking his lips, as if he could find more traces of his blood on his skin. Shit. Well, time for his shower. He was starting to smell a little ripe, anyway. Sweat and all that.

His mind wandered on the way back to his room. The Mayor was probably still in Can Town. He needed to visit him sometime today. Vriska and Terezi hadn’t been seen all day. Not surprising; they were probably off doing some Scourge Sister weird friendship crap that would blow up in everyone else’s face in not too long. Gamzee wasn’t around either, probably locked up somewhere. Rose and Kanaya were probably sucking face somewhere, per usual. Dave refused to think of glowing trolls sucking anything else of his ecto-sis’s. Just kissing. Or talking about species shit. If they be banging, Dave did not need to know.

Gross, now he was going to be thinking about Rose and Kanaya banging. Extra gross, after having a penis measuring contest with Karkat (hey, he was a healthy teen boy. He needed to know his dick was the biggest on the meteor) he now knew that all trolls, male and female, came equipped with a tentacle straight out of Japanese hentai that was at least double the length of any human dick. Which, not fair. And extra gross to know what would be used if they actually be banging.

Ugh. He needed a hot shower to scour that thought out of his head.

Carefully, Dave poked his nose. Yeah, the bleeding had stopped. That was cool. Time for a shower, then.

* * *

Pain. Pain, slicing across his stomach. The feeling of being held down. He couldn’t move. Couldn’t think. Couldn’t even breathe- he was going to die like this. It was going to kill him like this. He could feel the pain deep inside him, his blood rushing out-

The pressure increased as something fell on him, something thick splashing across his face. A good part of it got into his mouth, a cloying taste he wanted more of. Something landed next to him, a thick _thud_ onto the ground.

Bro. He was here.

He-

Had a sword to his neck.

_Bro was going to kill him-_

Dave woke suddenly. Fuck. He sighed, running a hand through his hair. Already, the dream was starting to fade in his memory, but the terror he had felt remained.

He _hated_ that nightmare. It was the mix of everything he feared: pain, being helpless, about to die, and Bro. Bro ready to kill him.

Dave took a deep breath, rubbing the scar across his stomach. It wasn’t like it didn’t have _some_ basis in reality. Bro had nearly killed him in strifes before. He had been hurt a lot. And- Dave sat up as he pulled up his shirt, looking down at the uneven scar running across his torso. He had forgotten where that came from, but there was only one place his scars that old came from. With a sigh, he let his shirt fall back down, leaning back in bed.

The taste of his own blood. It was the fact he had actually been smacked hard enough to get the taste of his own blood again. Fucking predictable. Carefully, Dave wiped at his nose, looking down at his fingers and nodding with satisfaction when he didn’t see a blood smear. Everything was fine.

Fine.

And tomorrow was a new day.


	2. It's Not Safe In Here

”Shit!” It was one of those goddamn things. He knew that corner was there. He walked around it every day on his way for the liquid they called coffee on this godforsaken rock. And for some reason, Dave’s head was so far in the clouds that his arm slammed right into it today. He shook his arm, feeling the shock of pain start to dull a bit. Damn, that had stung.

”Growing pains, dear brother?” came the deadpan remark, and Dave looked over to see Rose on the couch, tucking a bookmark between the pages of her book. “I haven’t seen you so clumsy.”

”Rose, what do you take me for?” That coffee was calling to him to temptingly. “The corner jumped out at me. I could have taken it but man, I just wanted to give that poor corner something it could take back to the wall and brag about.”

He knew she had seen right through it when her lips quirked at that. “The corner must be telling a very tall tale about how it took down the mighty Dave Strider right now,” she told him.

”Got to give it some creative skills to work with.” Oh god coffee. Dave took one sip, and didn’t flinch at the taste only out long time practice. “What are you up to?”

”Just brushing up on my Alternian.” Slowly, Rose stood up, book in her hands. “Though, the tales may not be as tall as we think.”

”Hm?” Dave followed her gaze to his upper arm, and to the shiny patch on the red fabric. “Aw hell.”

”Stay here. I’ll get the first aid kit,” she told him.

”You mean try to figure out where Vriska hid it last?” Dave flexed his arm, hissing at the sting. “Nah. I’m fine. A little dry cleaning on the ol’ godtier PJs and everything will be good as new.”

”As you say. I would rather bandage that before some of our other members of the team see that. Like, say, a certain troll that considered himself our leader for a while.”

Dave closed his eyes, feeling the words hit him at the memory of Karkat looking at his bleeding nose with guilt. “Yeah. And I mean, your girlfriend sucks blood too. I would rather not look down and have a jade blood glowing lesbian on my arm trying to get all my sweet blood out of my skin.”

That made Rose smile ever so slightly. “I doubt you have much to worry about that, Dave. I’ll be right back.”

Dave passed her an ironic salute as she left, sitting heavily on the couch. Shit. Maybe it was growing pains. He didn’t usually run into things, at least not hard enough to bleed. He hadn’t really had a good growth spurt yet. Maybe that’s what was finally hitting. Carefully, Dave rolled the sleeve up, revealing the cut on his arm.

It wasn’t bad. Not really. Just enough to break the skin. Without thinking about it, he rolled his finger into the blood oozing from the cut, looking at the red smeared across the digit. He was going to see a lot more of that in the upcoming fight. Absently, he stuck his finger in his mouth, licking the skin clean as he thought. Fuck. Karkat wasn’t the only one that didn’t want to see blood. He was resigned to the fact he’d have to see it, but... fuck, if there was a way he didn’t have to, he wouldn’t. Another burst of iron hit his tongue, almost comforting as he thought.

”Are you done sucking your finger like a newly born wriggler?”

Karkat’s voice snapped him out of his thoughts. “What, are you wishing you could replace it with something else?” he asked, tilting his head slightly as he pulled his finger out of his mouth.

”What kind of stupid nonsense are you going on about now, Strider?” Karkat asked, a hint of annoyance tinging his voice.

”If you wanted me to suck on your tentadick, all you had to do was ask, man. You didn’t have to stare at me sucking on my finger and wish it was your dick.”

Karkat’s face turned redder and redder with each word after ‘tentadick.’ It was pretty cute, Dave had to admit. “I- No!” He flailed his arms, unable to look at Dave. “No one in their right mind would willingly let anyone put their teeth that close to their bulge! Are you fucking insane, Strider?!”

”Sounds like someone’s thought about this a little too much.”

”Fuck. You.” Karkat opened his mouth to say more, then stopped when he saw the blood running down Dave’s arm. “Fuck! What the fuck happened to you?”

”A corner decided it wanted to attack him.” Rose came up behind Karkat with the first aid kit, a smirk on her face. “Hello, Karkat.”

”Rose. A corner did that?” Disbelief filled Karkat’s face and voice as he looked over at Dave.

That just earned him a shrug. “What can I say? They’re ninjas sometimes.”

”Karkat, can I have a moment alone with Dave?” Rose interrupted. As Karkat walked away, muttering something in the volume control deficient way that he did, she sighed as she started to clean up Dave’s arm.

”So what did you want to talk about, sis?” Dave asked, looking down at her work.

”Mostly about your idiotic insistence to make the jokes that you do.” Rose dabbed at the wound, her lips quirking as he hissed at the sting.

”Rose, no. Sometimes a dick joke is just a dick joke.”

”Then I would be careful making them around Karkat.” Her eyes looked up, managing to catch his beneath the shades. “You may not have any interest in the quadrants, but Karkat does.”

That made Dave go quiet. He really didn’t want to lead Karkat on at all. He... he had really gotten to like the little asshole. Without realizing it, his eyes shifted over to Karkat’s form. “I know.”

”... do you have flushed feelings for him?”

”I... can say Karkat means a lot to me. And I like him a lot. Rose, human’s don’t do quadrants. Flushed means nothing to me.”

Rose turned her attention back to his arm, wrapping the wound. “Then stop leading him on, or kiss him,” she finally said. “Unless there’s something else on your mind that’s stopping you?”

”If there was, I don’t know about it,” Dave told her. “Other than I’m pretty certain I feel pretty strongly for him.”

”Hm.” Rose’s gaze flicked down, and she frowned. “Dave, were you chewing on your fingers?” She reached down, lifting the finger he had put in his mouth.

The pad of the finger had been chewed on until the skin started to bleed.

* * *

It was the sound of the DVD menu cycling that woke Dave up. Blearily, he looked around, then down at his lap. At the cutely snoring Karkat.

Oh right. The romcom, the popcorn (of which Dave could still see a few popped kernels in his hair), Karkat snuggling up on his leg...

Dave reached down and flicked the popcorn out of Karkat’s hair. He really... looked so cute when asleep. And wow, he needed it. He knew Karkat rarely got sleep, somehow going on weeks and weeks without sleep. Right now, relaxed enough to let his guard down and get at least a few hours... Dave smiled, wanting to trace the line of Karkat’s jaw.

Goddamn, he was really gay, wasn’t he. He felt really strongly for Karkat, and he was just kind of lying to himself just how gay it was. But... was it really that he wanted to kiss him or did he just really like him? Somehow, Dave didn’t think it would be any easier if they were just normal kids.

Well, one way to check. Dave shifted a little, leaning down to give Karkat a kiss on the cheek.

... goddamn, he was warm to the touch. The scent of him filled his nose too, rich, tempting... He could just-

Karkat jolted awake as Dave sat up suddenly, sick with the realization of what he had almost done. “What was that all about, nookmunch?” Karkat complained, rubbing one eye.

”Uh. Nothing.” All his words fled as Dave looked away. “I just- realized I need to go.”

Karkat didn’t have a chance to say anything as Dave stumbled to his feet. He wouldn’t let Karkat have time to say anything. Not after-

Not after he nearly _bit_ him.


	3. I Don't Want to Feel Like This

Oh fuck.

Oh fuck.

Oh _fuck._

Karkat was probably going to hunt him down and burst his eardrums with how loud he yelled at him for leaving him like that, but... _fuck._ He couldn’t-

Dave swallowed, rubbing his mouth as he paced in his room. He had thought Karkat smelled good. Not in a gay- okay, in a gay way too. That didn’t bother him as much as the fact he smelled good in the way he wanted to lean down and take a huge bite out of him. He couldn’t get on the internet anymore and research male sexuality but he was pretty certain wanting to _eat_ whoever you found attractive was pretty not normal.

A voice in the back of his head pondered for a moment that he wasn’t freaking out more about the whole possible gay thing. Or- not, because he did find girls attractive too, so... bi thing? Whatever. But after being around a bunch of trolls who didn’t give two shits about gender, he just... it just wasn’t a big deal now.

No, he wasn’t going to freak out about the fact he maybe wanted Karkat in a gay way. It just... seemed natural in the scheme of things. He was going to freak out about the fact he could still smell Karkat in a way, and it was making his mouth water. He had heard the phrase “so cute he could gobble him up” but that was just-

Iron burst across his tongue, making him calm slightly. Okay. So. He sat down on his bed, thinking. For some reason, he thought Karkat would taste good and not in the sexy way. So... what did that mean? Was he turning into some kind of... well, not cannibal since the trolls were trolls, but was he starting to get so starved because of the alchemized food that he started to see someone like Karkat as food? Shit, maybe he should talk to Rose about that. If that was going on, she might be going through the same thing, and they need to look into changing up their food supply.

An alarming thought hit Dave. That might mean that the trolls were going through the same thing, and maybe saw him and Rose as a meal. Shit. He really did need to talk to Rose. He fished out his phone, then swallowed as he saw the streak of red covering the screen. Dave shifted his hand, looking at his fingers.

He had just put the finger he had bitten before back in his mouth and reopened it. That was the taste of iron that calmed him down so much. Shit, now it looked even more mangled. He just- needed to stop for a moment and look at that. Look at the fact that hurting himself and the taste of blood calmed him down.

This really wasn’t the first time, was it? He had always kind of... liked the taste of his own blood. Add that in with this new calming him down and the fact that he smelled Karkat and thought ‘food’...

Dave stared at his bleeding finger, wondering if maybe he should look to pester their resident rainbow drinker instead of Rose. Maybe about little things she might have seen before she was full on sipping on the troll blood. But first... his finger was halfway back to his mouth before Dave realized it. No, no more sucking on it like it was a Popsicle. He needed to wrap it up. Somehow, he managed to find a bandage lying around, and it was at least a deterrent to sticking it back into his mouth. Wiping the screen off, he looked for Kanaya’s handle. 

turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering  grimAuxillatrix [GA]

TG: yo kanaya i got a question for you  
TG: in all your life on alternia did you ever have any idea youd be a rainbow drinker  
TG: any hint at all that youd soon be drooling on the necks of hot girls for their blood  
GA: Hello To You Too Dave  
GA: To What Do I Owe This Pleasure  
TG: shit cant a guy just ask a few questions about his sisters bloodsucking girlfriend  
TG: maybe i want to get to know my sisters hot girlfriend more  
GA: Thank You Dave But I Know Thats Not Why You Contacted Me  
GA: Is Everything Okay With Karkat  
TG: karkat? nah everythings cool there i just want to know more about you  
GA: I Suppose I Should Indulge You  
GA: Though Rose Is Reading This Over My Shoulder And She Is Worried About Karkat As Well  
GA: Although I Can Hear Karkat Yelling At His Usual Level So I Assume Its Nothing Serious  
TG: nah nothing serious  
TG: just want to know more about the whole vampire thing  
GA: If I Am To Be Honest I Dont Think I Had Any Hints  
GA: Perhaps The Only One I Had Was The Ability To Go Out Into The Sunlight  
GA: Do You Think Karkat Is Starting To Show Signs Of Being A Rainbow Drinker  
TG: cant a guy just get to know his sisters vampire girlfriend in peace  
TG: thanks kanaya  
TG: and karkats probably just pissed off  
GA: As Is His Normal State  
TG: also hi rose looking over kanayas shoulder  
GA: Rose Says Hello And Asks If Anything Is Wrong  
TG: nah got the answers i needed

turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering  grimAuxillatrix [GA]

Well then. That... kind of did not answer any questions. Did that mean he wasn’t a vampire? Or that human vampires were way different than Alternian ones? Shit, Kanaya had to _die_ before she found out she was a rainbow drinker. He didn’t seem like he was on his way to dying quite yet.

Okay. Everything was okay. He was cool and calm. He just- he’d find out what was going on and if he was going to be a bloodsucking fiend of the night. Probably not. Vampires didn’t exist.

* * *

It was never a question of if Karkat was at his door. The sheer volume output by that troll made it impossible not to know, even with headphones on. Dave peeled himself off of his bed, making his way to the door. “Karkles, I’m touched,” he drawled as he opened the door, leaning against the frame. “Coming all this way for lil’ ol’ me.”

Either he was angry enough to be flushed, or that made him blush. Any way it was, it was a fetching look on him. That thought... was not comforting anymore, considering the bandage on his finger and the phantom taste of blood. “You left in the middle of our movie night,” came the accusing tone. “What could be so fucking important that you shoved me off your lap and left me alone?”

Dave nearly snorted at the thought that rose to his mind, the thought about how Karkat had looked so delicious he almost ate him. “Look, it’s nothing. I just-”

”It’s not nothing, you irritating asswipe.” Oh that was Karkat in his space. A very worried Karkat at that. “I know what nothing looks like on your ironic cool face and that shitstain of a face is not nothing.”

”Oh no, you got me,” Dave deadpanned, making Karkat growl.

”Don’t even start! What’s wrong, Dave? What could possibly be wrong enough that you don’t even get into movie two during movie night?”

”Shit, using my first name,” came the drawl. Anything to deflect. “Shit’s getting serious.”

”You...” And that was a clawed fist in his hair, dragging him down for a kiss. “Is that serious enough for you?” Karkat growled as the kiss ended.

”Holy shit,” Dave mumbled under his breath. “Holy shit that was...”

”Amazing, yes. Are you going to tell me what’s wrong now?”

Dave took a deep breath, closing his eyes. No. He couldn’t. He wasn’t even _sure_. Instead, he leaned back down, kissing Karkat again.

He should have known Karkat would be all teeth and enthusiasm with the kiss. It was messy, inexperienced, their teeth clacked together as Karkat pressed his head forward... and it was so perfect. Fuck. This was the perfect kiss ever.

A rush of something... the most delicious thing he had ever tasted... entered his mouth. Fuck. He needed more of that. His tongue seeked out the taste, pulling more of it into his mouth. There was a source. One he could suck on. And suck he did. Oh fuck, it was heaven. Heaven and Hell, sin and redemption all in one.

His upper jaw started to hurt doing that, so he searched out another source of it. There, he could smell, he could almost taste... it was just under the surface, if he could just scratch it open-

”DAVE!”

Karkat finally pushed him off, holding his neck. Candy red blood dripped from his mouth as he drew breath, ready to start a new tirade.

Dave didn’t let him start.

With a quick flashstep, he absconded.


	4. I Feel a Weakness Coming On

Dave was the very model of calmness right now. The calmness blur of motion as he made his way far, far away from Karkat as he possibly could. As far as he could between him and what he just tasted.

What he just tasted.

Troll blood didn't taste like human. Or at least, not like what Dave was used to tasting from his own body so... he swallowed as he came to a stop, his mind rebelling from the thought.

And fuck, he was horny as hell. Karkat’s blood... it just... he wanted to stuff his hand between his legs and just stroke himself until the coming of angels. He... he couldn’t do that, thought. Not to the fact that it was because he had tasted someone else’s blood.

Shit. What was he going to do? Karkat was already probably letting the entire meteor know what happened. Rose was going to message him soon, he just knew it. Dave took a deep breath, closing his eyes. No, he was calm. He just- needed some advice. Yeah. He was okay. Talk to the resident rainbow drinker. Just some advice about what Karkat was probably filling her ear about. That was all.

turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering  grimAuxillatrix [GA]

TG: yo kanaya    
TG: got a few questions    
TG: kanaya you there   
GA: Dave Where Are You    
TG: nowhere   
TG: i just need    
TG: help   
GA: Dave Karkat Is Telling Me Some Very Concerning Things   
GA:Where Are You   
TG: kanaya    
TG: please    
TG: help    
GA: Dave Karkat Is Telling Me You Tried To Bite His Neck  
TG: yeah i did    
TG: kind of what i need to talk to you about    
GA: Where Are You    
GA: I Can Help You    
GA: I just Need To Know Where You Are 

Dave looked around. He had... the lab. He had stopped in the lab. Okay. As he turned his attention back to his phone, he paused.

Was that a...

Honk?

TG: the freaky ass lab    
TG: please kanaya i    
TG: i tried to drink his blood    
TG: i tasted some of it when we were kissing and i wanted to have more of it    
TG: kanaya i think im a vampire    
TG: so i really need some sweet vampire tips or something    
TG: best ways to seduce young virgins    
TG: high vampire fashion tips    
TG: no leather    
TG: i draw the line at leather    
TG: kanaya    
TG: yo    


Footsteps brought him out of his one-sided chat with Kanaya. Dave tensed, licking his lips and wincing as his tongue ran into something brand new. Well, those growing fangs would explain why his upper jaw hurt so much. And those footsteps were coming closer. He shifted, ready to fight-

When Rose came into view, stopping several feet away. She looked at him, her face solemn. “Dave.”

”Rose.” Wow, that was a lisp. “You’ve got to stop reading over Kanaya’s shoulder.”

”She sent me down here.” Slowly, she took another step towards him, calm. “Kanaya thought it would be for the best if you saw a familiar face just now.”

Dave took a deep breath, closing his eyes. He was calm. He really was. “So what are you going to do, psychoanalyze the bloodsucking?” Okay, maybe not so calm.

”No.” When Dave opened his eyes again, Rose had her arm outstretched, wrist bared. “Kanaya also thought you might be a bit hungry, as she was when she first awoke as a rainbow drinker.”

Shit. Dave swallowed, trying not to look at that wrist. “I’m fine,” he managed to say as he turned his head away.

”If you say so,” came the calm, almost deadpan response. “But I suggest not letting it go too long before you drink blood. If you are a vampire and you are just now showing signs of it, your body is most likely very deprived of nutrients. You will need to have something soon.”

”Rose..”

”I’m offering my blood now.”

Damn it. Dave took a deep breath, regretting it immediately. He could _smell_ Rose now. The heady scent of her, the... the delicious scent that made his mouth water and stomach growl. “Fine,” he mumbled. “Fine, fine. Uh, before we start... Karkat. Is he...”

”His throat is scratched up and his lip is bleeding, but he’s fine. Angry, but fine.”

Dave nodded. “Okay.” Karkat was okay. He nodded again, reaching out to take her wrist. “I feel like I should be making a gallant gesture over this wrist. Bow all fancy and shit over this generous offering. Make it a real event, give it its own parade.”

”Dave, you’re rambling.”

Shit, he was. “Yeah.” Well, nothing else he could really do except... use these new fangs. Dave pulled Rose closer so her wrist could reach his mouth, and bit in.

Ow.

His fangs _hurt_. They were still growing in, he guessed. Not to mention they were growing in so quickly. But putting that kind of pressure on them hurt like fuck.

And all that didn’t matter when blood rushed into his mouth. With a growl, he gripped Rose’s arm tighter, suckling at the broken skin. It... fuck.

It wasn’t as good as Karkat. But it really fucking tasted good. His eyes closed as he drank, enjoying each swallow until the feeling of satiety overtook him and he slowly let her arm go.

”How are you feeling, Dave?”

”Mm.” Slowly, he opened his eyes, looking at Rose. “Pretty good, actually. You?”

Rose critically examined her wrist. “Bleeding,” she deadpanned. “I’ll wrap this up before I go back to my room. Dave-” She reached out, snagging his cape as he started to leave. “You should talk to Kanaya now.”

”Uh. Yeah.” He absconded quickly, before she could tell that for the moment, she wasn’t his sister.

For the moment, all he saw was food.

For the moment, all the meteor had was a buffet of food.


	5. Primary Resistance At a Critical Low

”You are not glowing.” Kanaya looked over him critically, her brow furrowing. Rose watched over them as her girlfriend considered what she was seeing. “That appears to be one particular difference between your human vampires and our rainbow drinkers.”

”Nope, no glowing, glittering, sparkling, or otherwise unnatural light here.” Dave stood there as she circled him, trying not to he needed to get ready for a strife at any minute. Kanaya was friendly. She wouldn't attack without provocation. She wasn't- His mind cut off that thought right away. He didn't need to relate anyone here to Bro. “Just the fangs and the urge to drool over necks.”

”Interesting.” She stopped in front of him, inspecting his fangs. “And you didn't feel this way until you tasted Karkat’s blood?”

Dave shook his head. “Nope. No fangs or otherwise vampiric thoughts.” The memory of chewing his own finger, and finding Karkat delicious during movie night came up, and he looked away. “So, great vampire expert, what can I expect next?”

”I can’t say,” she admitted, her crisp voice quiet. “Human vampirism isn't something I’ve studied. You appear in control of it, which is heartening to see. But I can't say what you’ll endure. I'm not even sure how you became one. Is there anything you remember, anything from your myths that might help?”

”Depends on what country and if you're asking teenage girls.” Fuck. So much he didn't know. “I mean... there’s usually the whole bloodsucking thing on both sides going on. You suck my blood, I’ll suck yours... But I’ve never been attacked...” Dave’s voice trailed off, his nightmare coming to mind. That was just a nightmare, right?

Rose stepped up beside Kanaya, finally speaking up. “Dave, is something wrong?”

”Just a really dumb nightmare. But it's not real. It’s... I didn't get bitten or anything in the dream.” As he spoke, Dave absently rubbed the scar on his torso. The uneven one. The one that didn't look like it had been caused by a sword. “I can't really remember much. It’s one of those dreams that’s really intense at the time, you know? But I can just really remember a cut here, something in my mouth, and-” Fuck. Bro’s sword to his neck. Like- like Bro had _known_.

”Dave?”

”Bro couldn't have known,” he mumbled under his breath. “I thought vampires were myths. He had to too. He couldn't have known that I was going to be one...” With each word, his fingers caressed the scar on his torso.

”What was your brother going to do?” Rose asked, her voice very controlled by this point.

Fingers gently stroked his throat as he swallowed. “The dream ends with a sword to my neck,” he admitted.

Rose straightened at the words, and Kanaya’s soft glow flared. “What was that?” Kanaya’s voice was crisper than usual, each word bitten off between her perfect fangs.

”He’s dead, Kanaya,” Rose told her softly. “You can’t do anything about that.”

Dave nodded. “Yep. Deader than dead. Don’t know why he would have a sword to my throat, and don’t know why he didn’t take my head if he did after all of that.” Bro, in his own way, did love Dave, but fuck. He knew Bro.

”Perhaps you are right and your Bro didn’t know you would be a rainbow drinker- I apologize. Vampire.” Kanaya considered him, frowning. “But none of us know what he knew. He may have not known a thing... or may have known something we’re not seeing.”

”Yeah.” Not really much he could do about that. Either way, he was still alive.

”Either way,” Rose said, and whoa, freaky how she echoed his thoughts. “We now have a new nutrition need. And I’m not sure how well you’ll tolerate troll blood, and how much blood overall you’ll need.”

Shit. “Didn’t seem to have any problems with Karkat’s blood,” he pointed out. “So I probably won’t have any problems with troll blood. It’ll go down nice and smooth.”

”That is my concern,” Kanaya told him. “As he is a mutant with his blood color, I actually find his blood repulsive. You might not be able to drink from the other trolls.”

”Oh.” Well fuck. “Then... fuck. I mean, we haven’t tried yet. And we don’t know how often I have to eat.”

”Dave’s right,” Rose said. “Nor do we know how much you’ll actually take on a normal day. Today could be special as you just started drinking blood. But we still do need to think about what to do just in case.”

He just... nodded. Fuck. “So has anyone noticed we had a conversation about me suddenly being a vampire and no one freaked out?”

”We’ve lived on this meteor for a few years with a rainbow drinker,” Rose pointed out. “And you’re not a raging bloodthirsty beast. We can adjust.”

That made Dave smile a little. Yeah. they’d adjust.

* * *

He could not adjust.

Karkat was avoiding him. After all of that, the troll just... was nowhere to be seen. Or heard. That was probably the worrying part. He couldn’t hear Karkat yelling anywhere. The troll that could be heard anywhere on the meteor he could not hear anywhere.

Okay, that was a lie. The worrying part was he seriously wanted to chew his own fingers for some blood. Fuck, he was hungry. But it had barely been two days since drinking Rose’s blood. Terezi and Vriska were still missing. Gamzee... actually, where was Gamzee? He knew he was tied up somewhere, but where? Fuck. And he was pretty certain two bloodsuckers couldn’t suck each others’ blood.

So that meant Rose again.

Or Karkat, but he couldn’t find him.

Fuck, he was hungry.

And fuck, he just tasted iron. With a groan, Dave pulled the finger out of his mouth. He needed to go get Rose. Enough was enough. He needed to stop mutilating himself and just go suck his ecto-sibling’s blood.

Dave stretched, making his way towards Rose’s room. She wouldn’t be happy about this. It was too soon. They wouldn’t be able to do this if he had to drink her blood every few days. He shook his head, rounding a corner.

”Fuck!” Karkat jumped slightly, glaring at him. “Do we need to bell you like a meowbeast? Make some fucking noise!”

Karkat. Dave’s mouth fell open slightly, and he wasn’t sure if it was in relief that he was okay, or because he could practically smell him from there and boy did he smell good. “Hey.”

”Hey.” Karkat looked away, uncomfortable. He sucked a little on his lower lip and oh yeah, that’s right... “So Kanaya tells me you’re some kind of rainbow drinker called a vampire.”

”Yeah. That’s me. Bloodsucker extraordinaire. Watch out, teenage girls, your hunky pale leech is coming through.”

Each word just made Karkat groan more and more. “Will you shut up?”

Dave wrestled the flow of words to a stop. Fuck. He just... He absently licked his lips, wincing as he nicked himself on his fangs. “As great as this all is, Karkat,” he told him, his gaze drifting down to the gray curve of throat, “I have to get going.”

Karkat frowned, following his line of sight, then back up with wide eyes. “You’re staring at my fucking neck!”

Yup. “I-”

”Look, Strider, shut up and listen.” Oh hey, that was Karkat in his personal space, pushing him up against a wall. “I don’t know what kind of human nonsense a vampire is. But I know you’re being an idiot. You look like Kanaya when she’s forgotten to eat for a while.”

Dave just stared down at him. He couldn’t say anything. Not with those warm hands on his shoulders, or that scent in his nose...

”So stop being stupid.” Karkat let go of one shoulder to pull his collar aside, tilting his head. “Here.”

The sight finally loosened Dave’s tongue. “Are you insane, Karkat? Do you remember what happened the last time I tasted your blood? I tried to go for more! Not to mention Kanaya’ never actually drank from you. You have no idea what this is going to be like.” He licked his lips again, this time careful of his fangs. “No. Not when I’m chewing up my fingers just for some blood.”

Karkat glared at him. “You don’t get to make this decision for me,” he growled. “I decided I want to give you my blood.”

Dave took shallow breaths through his mouth, trying not to smell the feast in front of him. Rose couldn’t sustain him. Not if this two days thing was going to be a constant. But... “I don’t want to hurt you,” he whispered.

”You won’t.”

That trust. Fuck. The amount of time they had been together, gotten to know each other... became bros... and then whatever flushed feelings they were starting to have. It resulted in this trust.

Dave didn’t know if he could keep that trust.

Instead of answering, though, Dave just lifted his hand and stroked Karkat’s face.

Then pushed him away.

”I’m sorry.”

Karkat snarled at him, and suddenly there was a clawed fist slamming right by his head. “Do I need to tie you down and drip blood into your mouth so you’re completely sure you won’t hurt me? I know you won’t kill me or whatever stupid thing you’re worrying your thinkpan about.”

Holy shit, the idea of Karkat tying him up and dripping blood into his mouth... Dave shuddered. “Now you’re just sweet talking me,” he drawled, trying to get back on to familiar ground.

”Dave.”

His first name. Dave close his eyes. Shit. Shit was getting serious. “Not from the neck,” he finally said, voice quiet. “From the wrist.”

Karkat’s wrist practically was shoved right into his face as soon as the last sound left his lips. Carefully, Dave took his arm, shifting so it was in the right position, and bit down. It hurt a lot less this time, his fangs no longer growing in. But the taste...

He needed _more._

_More._

Oh holy fuck, how he needed more. He knew he was moaning as he drank, but it just... it tasted so _good_. How could anything taste this good? He was starting to feel full, but he just... fuck. When Dave raised his head, taking a few breaths and wondering just how full he really was, Karkat leaned in, kissing him.

Oh.

Hey.

That was good too.

More than good. When Karkat moved in closer, flush against Dave’s body, he could feel the wriggling of his tentadick against his achingly hard cock. Fuck. He wanted to strip Karkat right now, see just how a human cock got along with a troll dick. His hands were going to Karkat’s pants when a sigh interrupted them.

”I would say take this to a respiteblock but we need to have an emergency meeting. Right now!”

Goddamn it, Vriska.


	6. Point of No Return One Second To Go

Vriska wasn't a bad person, Dave kept telling himself. She was an okay troll. Her presence here actually kept things on a path that didn't set off Rose’s doomed timeline Seer alarms. He had to keep telling himself that as he wiped Karkat’s blood off his face as they followed her. She didn't purposely cockblock him right now. She had a reason at this moment.

She _was_ moving rather stiffly, though.

It wasn't until he saw Terezi covered in her own blood that he realized that something was terribly wrong. And fuck, talk about smelling good. That teal blood smelled even better than Karkat's. He wasn't hungry but he wanted to lick her clean so badly. Just to get that taste of that. Fuck.

The sound of Vriska clearing her throat pulled him out of thoughts. “We have a problem,” she started, her voice grave. “One that you should know about despite being so enamored with each other’s bulges and nooks.”

”Get to the point,” Karkat growled. And boy, did the smell of his red blood still seeping from his wrist meld beautifully with Terezi’s. “What’s going on?”

”Gamzee is loose.”

Terezi’s grim words made everything stop cold. “But, he hasn’t gone truly insane in a while,” Rose finally said.

”Well, apparently he was just waiting for the right time to let that go!” Vriska threw up her arms dramatically, turning to Rose. “I don’t want to kill him because fuuuuuuuuck that, we’ve had enough death on this stupid meteor, but he’s really dangerous right now.”

Dave just swallowed. He should be worried about this, but he was a little more worried about the little part of his brain that traced Vriska’s blue veins and covered Terezi’s teal blood. Fuck, they set off a ‘wounded prey’ instinct he fucking didn’t even knew he had. Trolls weren’t supposed to be prey.

Though, other than Kanaya and the mayor, wasn’t that everyone on the meteor? Just prey, just food for his fangs?

Dave almost physically put a stop to that thought right away, wanting to bash himself in the face at it. His friends were not food. He did not spend time with them to start seeing them as food.

”Yo! You have anything to add to this?” That was Vriska. Dave glanced over at her, and shook his head. Not going to use his words at this point. He didn’t want to speak and possibly draw attention to his fangs. Which would draw attention to his new vampirism, which would draw attention away from the insane clown troll that apparently attacked Vriska and Terezi. Or that Vriska and Terezi tracked down, confronted, and got their asses handed to them. He had been too busy reminding himself not to see everyone else as food at that moment.

Rose looked over at him as Vriska kept talking, coming over to him and pitching her voice between them. “You still have some blood on your mouth,” she told him. “It’s red. I take it Karkat is an acceptable donor as well?”

Dave just nodded, wiping at his mouth.

”And it was soon after I donated... this is a problem.

”Hey!” Vriska turned to them, pointing. “Mind sharing with the rest of us?”

”I suppose we should, as it seems this might impact us more than we think.” Rose nodded to Dave, who took a deep breath and smiled at the rest of them, baring his fangs.

”Surprise, I’m a motherfucking vampire.”

”I have no idea what that means,” Vriska said blankly. “Is that supposed to be important?”

Terezi had her face up in the air, sniffing wildly. “Karkat, are you hurt? I smell blood.”

”Uhh...” And like an idiot, Karkat shifted his bitten arm behind him. Dave could have buried his face deep in his hands at that.

”It means Dave is a human rainbow drinker,” Kanaya finally spoke up. “It may impact us in the fact he will need blood as a newly born rainbow drinker, but it appears his dietary needs and mine are not the same.” 

Vriska had turned a wary eye on Dave. “Yeah... sure. Anyway. Be careful and don’t kill Gamzee. Terezi, stop sniffing at Karkat and come with me. We need to plan.”

Terezi only grinned, following Vriska out of the room. As they left, Kanaya closed her eyes, her lipstick suddenly in her elegant fingers.

”I believe our leader said not to kill him,” Rose pointed out with little humor.

”I’m not going to kill him,” she told her. “But I’m not exactly the most calm troll knowing he is loose, and not necessarily on this side of sane.”

Rose only went over to her, hand gently falling onto the bone white fingers grasping a lipstick. Kanaya sighed, nodding.

It was when Kanaya’s lips gently met Rose’s that Dave finally looked away. Karkat had stormed off, typical. Here he was hoping they could have a real conversation. Get all deep about what they just did and the fact Karkat’s wiggly bits tried to get in contact with his dick. Which he kind of wanted to happen again. Because gay reasons.

But no, Dave was trundling back to his room alone, leaving the lesbians alone to have their cute and sweet moment.

And if he listened, he could hear a honk behind him as he closed the door to his room.

* * *

Karkat’s blood seemed to pack a bit more of a punch than Rose’s. He was going on a week and still not hungry for another blood fix. But... ugh, it was like he had the munchies. Wanting to eat something but not really hungry for it. He didn’t feel this way when he drank Rose’s blood. It was full, then hungry. What was this.

Dave groaned, making his way for the kitchen. Maybe a coffee fix would do it.

Though, the hair on the back of his neck raised as he went. They still hadn’t found Gamzee, and they all could hear the occasional honk. While nothing seemed to happen, and no one had gotten hurt after Vriska and Terezi (which just made Dave think they found Gamzee, attacked him, and lost), it still put everyone on edge. Until they knew where the clown was, they were all wound tightly. Kanaya was starting to glow again, which made Dave want to grind his fangs. Yeah, he saw that display. He knew she was a predator.

A honk behind him pulled him from his thoughts, instantly making him uncaptchalog his sword. Goddamn it, Gamzee. He had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be too terrible, as Gamzee hadn’t been much of a threat since Vriska took over, but still. The honking.

”So you’re a rainbow drinker.” Oh crap. That wasn’t a random honk. Dave turned at Gamzee’s too quiet, too tightly controlled voice. “It’s a motherfucking miracle.” His voice spiraled out of control at the last few words, his face not changing as it did.

”Yep. Miracle Dave, that’s me.” Well, Gamzee didn’t seem like he wanted to hurt him, but... _fuck._ He could see the purple veins. What he smelled... was that how Terezi saw, what she smelled? He could almost smell the purple. The feeling of the munchies came back, as well as the thought that this was a snack, all ready for him.

Damn it.

”Looks like you’re having some problems there.” Okay, when the murderous junkie clown saw through it...

”Nah,” Dave drawled. Fuck, he just wanted to grab Gamzee...

”Seen you eyeing up the others.” Oh hey, now Gamzee was armed. When Dave looked up in his scarred face _oh shit._

Fuck, did he think of Dave as a threat to the rest of them? Dave instantly fell back into a defensive position, swallowing. When the one that had murdered his friends saw _him_ as a threat to everyone else...

Training with Karkat made a lot of difference. While Gamzee’s clubkind style was far different than Karkat’s sicklekind, it made him more aware of more than one weapon. Dave blocked one strike, forcing the club away.

Only to be blindsided by the other club coming in when he didn’t expect it. The club knocked him silly, ripping his shades off his head. When Dave wiped his mouth, a streak of red appeared on his skin. Aah, the iron taste of blood, how he missed it. His eyes focused back on Gamzee, who suddenly looked dumbstruck. “You’re a motherfucking mutant,” he said.

”Yeah, yeah. And the most handsome fucker you’ll meet.” He had forgotten how bright things were without his shades. Uncomfortably so. At least it was in the meteor, where the light was left in that sweet spot where it wasn’t too dark for humans but not too bright for trolls. Dave ran his tongue over his lips, tasting that blood on his skin.

It suddenly occurred to him that unless someone else decided to want something to eat or some coffee, he was probably in for a long fight. And a painful death. Which meant he’d just come back to life, but every part of him suddenly lit up in realization that Gamzee probably didn’t want to give him a swift death. It would hurt.

And fuck, he was hungry.

And fuck, he didn’t want anyone else to come along his dead body before he came back to life. Especially not Karkat. Not... never him.

Dave’s sword hit the ground as he rushed Gamzee. The vision of Karkat coming along a swatch of red, possibly seeing Dave’s dead body before he came back, made him bat aside his clubs. His hand snapped out, grabbing Gamzee roughly by the throat. He could kill him first. But... the same vision, only replacing the blood with purple and the body with Gamzee came back.

No. He needed to incapacitate him. They could lock him up again after that.

So Dave did the only thing that came to mind.

He wrenched Gamzee’s head to one side and bit deeply.

And instantly regretted it.

Not because it was disgusting. Not in the least. Gamzee’s blood was the richest, best thing he had ever tasted in his life. Like the most expensive food in the world. But that was the problem. It was so _rich._ Already, he could feel his stomach rebelling at the heaviness of the blood. But he couldn’t stop. He just needed to keep drinking until Gamzee was out, then contact Vriska and get her down here. He could do that.

Fuck, could he do that? He wanted to keep drinking it no matter what, but at the same time he was starting to feel sick. Shit. This wasn’t good. And Gamzee was still thrashing in his hold, pulling at his hair. He had barely taken a few mouthfuls! No way he could subdue him with just that.

Just keep drinking. No matter what.

Eventually, Gamzee limbs fell by his sides. He could probably let up now. He... he needed to, he was probably...

And someone was pulling him off Gamzee. Dave let them, tilting his head back to see Kanaya’s unamused face. When he looked back, Gamzee had crumpled, trying to get back up and holding his throat with one hand. Good. He wouldn’t be trying to hurt anyone else and Vriska could put him back into whatever box he had been in.

Speaking of Vriska, she was now invading his space, blue lips turned into a frown. “I said I didn’t want him to die! Are you deaf? What do you have to say for yourself?”

A lot, actually. But first, Dave had to throw up all that purple blood onto her nice red sneakers.

Her face was worth it all.


	7. It's Not Meant To Be Like This

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a little longer than it should. I actually had most of it done a few days ago. Then I took a few tumbles at work. :( Today's the first day I've been able to sit long enough to finish the rest of it. But enough of that. Enjoy!

Day Three of confinement: Subject has started to treat the act like a scientific study. If subject is to be left alone any further, the subject may start eating his own fingers just to have something to do and because he’s _fucking hungry._

With a groan, Dave covered his eyes with his arm, flopping back on his bed. The internal commentary about his situation wasn’t doing much to alleviate his boredom. Not like he didn’t understand exactly why Kanaya had deposited him at his room and warned him with a chainsaw not to leave. No, he knew exactly why. Problem was that he had just thrown up a lot of good blood. It shouldn’t be a problem, but. Yeah.

His body kind of was yelling at him about putting something so good into it and then expelling it so forcefully.

Not his fault. His body was the one that couldn’t take it. Fuck... what did that mean, actually? He was able to drink Karkat’s blood just fine, but was that because of his mutation and the fact it might be really close to human blood? Or was it something else? Like he could have actually stomached Gamzee’s blood if he had, you know, _not_ guzzled it down like it was the last bit of water in the middle of the desert. Which meant his body was reminding him that hey, that was a huge stress, throwing up that volume of blood, think you might want to go and empty someone’s veins?

Which was not happening any time soon. Not just because he was on lockdown, but because he didn’t want to hurt anyone else. If he really needed blood, he’d message Rose to bring a coffee cup full of hers, or something. Otherwise, he’d just lay here and ponder the meaning to life, the universe, and everything.

(The answer so wasn’t 42 he didn’t care how classic that literature was.)

Unfortunately, an answer didn’t reveal itself as he laid there on his bed.

He normally would be pestering Karkat right about now, suggesting to go to Can Town or put on one of his terrible rom-coms. But after all of that... Dave moved his arm, staring up at the ceiling.

He had yet to alchemize a new pairing of sunglasses. So right now he was staring unguarded at the ceiling, his freaky red eyes open for anyone to see. Growing up, it was cool to wear sunglasses. Bro did, and to his young brain Bro was _cool._ So he had to emulate that, right? Then came the fact he was actually kind of sensitive to the light _holy shit_.

Dave sat up suddenly, his heart pounding in his chest as the thought came to mind.

His eyes were red.

He couldn’t tolerate light.

_How did he not see the ‘vampire’ writing before?_

Shit. Maybe Bro didn’t know anything about vampires and that shit because he would have taken his head then.

It wasn’t until Dave found himself worrying at his finger again that he realized his mouth was coated in candy red vampire blood. Fuck. He should probably do that whole pester Rose for a cup of blood thing. Excuse me, ma’am, could I bother your for a pint of your finest A-?

Fuck. How did Kanaya do this?

* * *

His first visitor was Rose, as was expected. “I would think by now you’re getting a bit peckish,” were the first words out of her mouth after he opened his door.

Dave grinned at her, knowing his fangs were coated with his own blood. “Come to top off the ol’ Strider tank?”

”As well as ask a few questions.” He let her in, licking the blood off his lips and fangs. “I suppose three days is enough time for you to come up with an excuse for why you nearly killed Gamzee?”

Oh. Yep, she would ask about that. “I wasn’t trying to kill him,” he started. “Killing was strictly off the table. For both him and me. I was trying to incapacitate him.” He saw Rose’s eyebrows climb for her hairline. “Hey. He saw all the troubles I was having a new vampire, and he came at me with death in his eyes. I-”

 _’didn’t want Karkat to see my dead body,’_ he finished quietly in his head.

Rose nodded at that. “So you were protecting yourself. That doesn’t explain why you drank so much of his blood you literally were sick on Vriska’s shoes.”

The shitfit she threw... “I think I might as well give up on trolls that aren’t Karkat. For blood,” he added hastily when Rose’s eyebrows climbed again. “Blood, Rose. Gamzee’s was delicious, don’t get me wrong, but it was... too rich. Too much. Might puke up anything like that again just on first taste.”

”It makes sense.” As she spoke, Rose held her wrist out towards him. “Despite all your crude jokes, Kanaya has never taken any of my blood. Human blood does not interest her. It might be the same in that troll blood may not be digestible for vampires.”

”Then what about Karkat?” Dave shot back, his eyes locked on her wrist. Fuck, he was hungry. “Last I knew, I could drink his blood quite easily.”

”It might have to do with the fact Karkat’s blood color is considered a mutation.” Rose’s gaze flicked from his red eyes to her wrist, then back up. “If you’re not going to eat, I will leave.”

”How can I turn down such a gracious offer?” Dave told her, fingers finally taking her wrist and pulling it close to his mouth. “Uh... so, I’m like really hungry. Super hungry. Black holes have formed in my stomach.”

”Kanaya is outside the door if anything goes wrong.”

That actually made him feel better. So much so that without a second thought, his mouth opened far enough for him to place his fangs against her flesh and bear down, piercing the skin.

Fuck, this was good. He heard Rose’s pained sharp inhalation of breath as his grasp tightened. Just... needed to pay attention. Not to take too much. Enough to be full, but not enough to hurt her.

That was the thought that made him pull back. He wasn’t full by any means, but it would be enough. He’d be fine for a while. And Rose wasn’t hurt. Well, worse than a bite in her wrist. She wasn’t suffering severe blood loss. And the wounds were already starting to scab over. Magical vampire healing spit? Or godtier bullshit?

”Are you sure that was enough?” she asked, flexing her hand.

Dave nodded, wiping his mouth off. “Yup. Perfectly fine. More than enough. Ready to meet the day and all that.”

Rose eyed him speculatively. “I doubt that, but I’m not about to force you to take more.” She sighed, reaching out to touch his shoulder. “Kanaya’s right outside. Do you want to talk to her?”

He should. He needed to.

”Nah. I’ll be fine.”

* * *

”Strider, let me in!”

Karkat never got any quieter. And every part of him wanted to comply because fuck he missed Karkat. He missed just doing shit with him. But...

He could still taste his blood.

”No can do,” Dave drawled. “Casa de Strider is closed.”

”Dave, you asswipe, stop avoiding us. You can’t stay hidden in your respiteblock forever.”

He could give so many answers to that, but right now he was just trying to breath through his mouth and not drool on the ground. “Karkat, please, go away.”

”Not until you explain what climbed up your backside and died.”

”I can smell you and you smell like a fucking meal,” Dave snapped, and wonder of wonders, Karkat went very quiet. “So go away.”

He didn’t. Instead, Dave heard the soft scrape of claws against his door. “Open up,” came the surprisingly soft command.

”Aren’t you listening to me? I said you’re a meal right now! I am not going to open your veins and suck them dry. Just...” Dave rested his head against the door, licking his lips. “Go.”

There was another soft scrape of claws, then the sound of Karkat leaving. Dave’s head hit the door a few times, using the pain to remind him not to throw the door open and follow after. He had to use his thinking brain, not his stomach or his dick. Because he remembered the last time he drank Karkat’s blood and the fact he nearly got some action (that Vriska interrupted. Did she alchemize new shoes or do her shoes still have purple stains he wondered) quite vividly. He could have that again, that taste and actually have Karkat’s wiggly bits on his...

Instead, he pulled out his phone and sent a message.

turntechGodhead [TG] began pestering  grimAuxillatrix [GA]

TG: kan  
TG: i have a few questions  
TG: about being a vampire


	8. I Could Keep Your Number For A Rainy Day

TG: i have a question  
TG: about being a vampire  
GA: Im Listening  
GA: I Am Glad Youve Finally Reached Out To Me Dave  
TG: yeah all kinds of feelings being jammed on here  
TG: getting down to the sound of sharing knowledge and feelings all over the place  
TG: time to drop the bass on this jam  
TG: turn this into the dopest of jams  
GA: We Can Certainly Do That  
TG: yeah  
GA: Dave What Did You Want To Talk To Me About  
TG: its dumb  
TG: how do you do it kanaya  
GA: I Believe I Know What Youre Talking About But I Would Like To Be Sure  
TG: the vampire thing  
TG: rainbow drinker  
TG: blood drinker  
TG: how do you not see everyone as food GA: Ah  
GA: The Truth Is I Still Do  
GA: However I Have Years Of Experience Regarding Controlling My Urges To Drink From Everyone Here  
GA: I WIll Admit That When I First Awoke As A Rainbow Drinker, I Did Drink The Blood Of Everyone I Saw  
GA: And I Was Pretty Angry At Being Killed By Eridan  
GA: Once I Had A Fairly Regular Supply Of Blood It Became Easier To Not See Everyone As A Potential Meal  
TG: because you werent as hungry all the time  
GA: Exactly  
GA: Once You Can Figure Out A Feeding Schedule With Rose And Karkat I Believe Youll Have A Better TIme With Your Instincts  
TG: so once i get a feeding schedule and stop being an idiot i can be let out of my room  
GA: Exactly  
TG: thanks kanaya  
GA: Do Let Me Know If Theres Anything Else I Can Help You With  
GA: Perhaps With That Vampire Wardrobe You Mentioned Before  
TG: i was kidding  
TG: no but seriously can you make me look like one dapper motherfucker  
GA: A Leather Duster Would Look Charming On You  
TG: no leather pants  
TG: i can rock the duster  
TG: unless youre name is david bowie you cant rock leather pants  
GA: Ha Ha  
TG: thanks

turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering grimAuxillatrix

Well, that was illuminating.

Dave ran a hand down his face as he flopped back onto his bed. He needed to not starve himself on blood by actually taking Rose’s and Karkat’s blood when the time came up. The problem with that whole thing was how often he got hungry. It seemed like he could go longer on Karkat’s blood, but he’d soon drain Rose dry at this pace.

He could do this. Yeah.

Next time he got hungry, pester Karkat and suck on him for a bit.

Dave balled his hand into a fist and let it drop onto his forehead a few times. Of course he had a very sexual way of thinking about it when it came to Karkat. Fuck. Maybe he should just be honest when he pestered him and say “yo come over for some blood sucking and a booty call.”

With a groan, Dave rolled over, trying to ignore his erection. Not the time or place. He’d beat off later. When he wasn’t trying to figure out how to work out a blood schedule so he wouldn’t starve, but he wouldn’t kill anyone.

He probably should try Terezi or Vriska to see if maybe he had just drank way too much of Gamzee’s blood and troll blood in general was okay, just in smaller quantities. Just wasn’t sure if either of them would be up for it after seeing him attack Gamzee like that, or vomit up all that blood.

For right now, though, he was fine.

* * *

Karkat came to his door every night. It was kind of cute. And sweet.

And terrifying.

Yeah, he was someone his stomach didn’t rebel at the thought of biting into, but after Gamzee, he kind of imagined holding Karkat as he grew weaker... and weaker... and yeah, he might have had a few nightmares with him fucking Karkat as he drained him dry.

Yeah.

Nope.

But he was starting to get really hungry again. Dave swallowed as he heard Karkat coming down the hall, gripping the edge of his bed. He either needed to get Rose again (not this soon after the last time) or let Karkat in and tap a vein. Either possibility didn’t seen that appealing. Okay, both seemed way too appealing, let’s not lie.

And he knew when Karkat knocked on the door this time, he wouldn’t be able to resist. He would fight with himself to just fling the door open, yank Karkat inside, and bite in. Dave took a deep breath, shaking his head. This had to be what Kanaya was talking about. Keeping a steady feeding schedule so this shit didn’t happen. Just... he found himself fighting with that thought he could kill Karkat after what happened.

Something else he needed to ask Kanaya, he guessed. After Karkat left. After he very nicely took some of Karkat’s blood and sent him on his way without hurting him anymore.

Dave was standing before he realized it. Standing and moving towards the door. For a moment, he paused, ready to go back to the bed and force himself to sit there as Karkat hesitated outside. Then he shook his head, and opened his door. “Hey.”

Karkat looked up at him in surprise, mouth falling open slightly. Then it firmed into his usual frown. “Hey. I’m glad to see you’ve finally stopped trying to hide and MMMPH!” His words were cut off as Dave pulled him close, desperately kissing him.

”I’m really hungry right now,” he whispered into the kiss. “And I don’t want to hurt you. So if you- want to- then come in and we’ll do this thing. Otherwise go away and I’ll ask Rose. Just don’t let me hurt you.”

”I told you before,” Karkat snapped quietly, pushing him back into the room as he kissed him, the door shutting behind them. His claws stroked up Dave’s face to his hair, leaving little scratches burning with oversensitivity. “You won’t hurt me,” he told him, breaking the kiss.

”You know I probably almost killed Gamzee trying to subdue him, right?”

Karkat pressed his forehead into Dave’s, snorting. “You wouldn’t have killed him. I know your human way of thinking. You wouldn’t have killed him. Just like you won’t hurt me. Now get to it before you get too hungry and do something stupid.”

Dave laughed a little, his hands reaching up to cup Karkat’s. “Why do you have this crazy trust in me?”

With a sigh, Karkat’s fingers tightly slightly. “I’ve spent all that time watching you, trolling you, and now living with you,” he said, his head pulling back to look at Dave. “And I’ve come to the conclusion that while you’re a fucking mess, even for a human, you’re not someone that would just hurt another by accident. Any harm you inflicted had to be for a reason, and you wouldn’t kill unless your hand was forced. So stop being a fucking idiot and have a drink.”

”It’s not that simple,” Dave told him.

”Yes it is. It’s that simple because I say so. Now get to it.”

He... really couldn’t say much more. Karkat wouldn’t let his trust be wavered. Not only that, but he smelled just too good. Dave swallowed, pulling back while grasping one of Karkat’s arms.

”Uh uh.” Karkat suddenly pulled him closer, tilting his neck. “I need to be able to hold a sickle with that hand.”

Dave had a lot to say about that. Volumes of text. Everything in the world to say.

It all came out as a groan as he pierced Karkat’s skin with his fangs.

Just like before, it tasted so _good_. How could he have not wanted more of this? Fuck... Dave moaned slightly as he drank, hands running up and down Karkat’s back. This was exactly what he needed. Everything he ever wanted. That taste... and oh look, hips against his, wiggly bit against his erection...

Dave grabbed Karkat’s hips, grinding into him. The breathy moan he got in response encouraged him to do it again, feeling Karkat’s bulge writhe for more contact than that. He knew exactly what that was like. Every part of him was crying out for the same, to strip down and bury his dick into something. He didn’t know if Karkat had anything he could bury his dick into, but he wanted to find out.

Slowly, they slumped onto the floor. Dave pulled his fangs out as soon as he felt his knees hit ground, panting. Before he could ask Karkat if everything was okay, if he was still conscious, he had a troll pinning him to the ground, straddling one leg. For a moment, Dave didn’t quite get it until Karkat started to grind against his leg, his breath coming faster and harder. Thank fuck one of his legs was against Dave’s cock, giving him friction as well. He would probably still need to stick his hand down his pants and stroke one out, but this was nice for right now. His hands came down to rest on Karkat’s hips, encouraging him to continue, to grind on him until he came and fuck, he could feel Karkat getting wetter and wetter against his leg where his bulge wasn’t, between his legs, which made Dave think he could thrust up into that wetness and _fuck_ at that thought he was going to-

Karkat broke first, soaking both their pants in red fluid. Just the feeling, though, made Dave orgasm and fuck if it wasn’t a good one. The two of them laid there on the floor, panting, trying to come down from the high.

Wow.

”We have got to try that again without the blood drinking,” Dave found himself muttering.

Karkat snorted at that. “I’m pretty fucking dizzy right now, so I agree with you.”

For some reason, that made Dave smile. Then again, he was smiling a lot. He just drank some blood so he wasn’t hungry, and he just got laid. Life was pretty good right now.

He would be okay.


	9. Give In, Give In And Relish Every Minute Of It

First time he had a babysitter and it was an alien vampire. At the same time, at least the vampires were together, Dave thought as he finally settled his new sunglasses on his face. Everything went back to the comfortable level of dim, and a knot loosened between his shoulders. Much better.

”It’s fascinating how vampires seem to prefer light levels closer to a troll’s preference while a rainbow drinker prefers brighter local,” Kanaya mused.

Dave turned to her, flashing her a fanged smirk. “What, are you scientifically interested in me too?”

Her cheeks dusted green at the words. “Not quite,” she admitted. “I had always read about rainbow drinkers, and now having the human equivalent here... the young troll in me wants to know the myths and legends, the romantic stories of vampires.”

”Miss Kanaya, are you saying you want to know what kind of trashy vampire romance novels Earth had?” Dave drawled, watching the green on her cheeks deepen.

”I suppose so.” Her own fangs flashed at him as she smiled a bit. “How are you feeling now?”

”Fed.” Dave shrugged. The memory of Karkat grinding against his leg made his ears burn, and Kanaya’s lips turned into a smirk. “Think I can be around the normal folk now,” he continued casually, trying to ignore the look on her face.

”Perhaps. It does seem you can feed from Karkat and not hurt him despite...” Fuck, his cheeks were burning. So much blushing. Fuck his pale vampire skin. “... you being rather distracted at the time.”

Dave coughed at that, nodding. “Yup. Distracted.”

”Rose and I would rather you be with one of us for a while,” she continued. “I don’t think you’ll have any problems now that you’re not starving yourself, but it’s better not to take the chance.”

The problem with that was she was right. He wanted to be able to wander the meteor freely, but he understood why not. “I get you.”

Kanaya smiled apologetically at him. “It’s a precaution.”

”No, no. I get it. I’m a baby vampire. Still learning all the ropes. In and outs, ups and downs, all that. Learning how to do all the things a vampire can. Being around unsuspecting trolls is not a good idea.”

”Not until you can prove you can control yourself.”

”Yeah. That.” Dave took a deep breath, grateful for the sunglasses. Now she couldn’t see the way he closed his eyes against the pain of that thought. He hadn’t controlled himself around Gamzee. He had attacked him. Yeah, he did it to try to stay alive, but at the same time, he did kind of prove Gamzee’s point. And when the murderous clown realized you were a threat and was right...

”You don’t have to be out right now.” Kanaya’s voice was quiet. Sympathetic. “You don’t have to face everyone at this moment. You can take your time until you’re ready.”

That made Dave snort. “And hide? No way. That’s not a Strider thing. I’m going to go get some coffee. I’ve got a headache the size of Texas from caffeine deprivation.”

Something glinted in Kanaya’s eyes. “Vriska should be in there now, getting her own coffee.” Slowly, both of them smiled a fanged smile. “Yes, I believe coffee is a good idea.”

”Alright then. Let’s go get some coffee.”

* * *

”I’m watching you.”

Now Vriska spoke up. She had been quiet, surprisingly so, the last four times Dave had gotten his coffee. Now... “What was that?” he asked, turning to her with a fresh cup in his hands.

”I said, I’m watching you.” She pointed to her eight-spoked eye, then at him. “You threw up on my shoes. I’m watching you, to make sure you don’t ever do something stupid and that you don’t ruin any more of my clothes.”

It was funny how it was obvious she was more talking about how he had bit Gamzee than really her shoes. Dave shrugged at that, but kept her gaze. He knew. He understood. And he wouldn’t do anything dumb like that again.

She stared at him for a moment, then nodded. “You being a rainbow drinker fucked up all my plans,” she complained. “Now I have to rework them aaaaaaaall.”

”Sorry ‘bout that,” Dave drawled, chuckling a little. In her own way, she was accepting that he understood and was moving on.

With a grumble, Vriska pushed past him, most likely to work on her plans. He didn’t doubt that she would easily come up with a new plan that would kick the ass of the old one easily. She was pretty good with that kind of thing. But... Dave just shook his head, taking a sip of his coffee, making a face. Sugar. Much sugar needed.

”Enough sugar there, brother?” Rose asked him, arching an eyebrow as he proceeded to have a little coffee with his sugar.

”Nope. Needs more.”

”Some day I expect to find your bloodstream replaced with sugar,” she told him. Her face changed at the end as Dave took another sip of the coffee, thinking about something she had just said. “It’s been about a week, actually, since you’ve had my blood. Is everything still fine?”

Dave swallowed hard. “Yeah. Karkat’s blood is... yeah. I’ll probably be hungry tomorrow.”

”I wouldn’t wait, Dave.” Rose’s face turned intense, as if trying to remind him of what had happened before. As if he needed to be reminded by her. “After you’re done raising your caffeine levels, we can go back to your room and feed you there.”

That made him wince. “Can you say it differently? It just sounds so...”

Rose paused, her mouth open before going “Ah.”

”Yeah.”

”Well then. Finish your coffee and you can drink my blood. Is that better?”

”Much,” Dave drawled, and took another sip. “Now you just sound like a real babysitter.”

Wow, he did not know Rose could reach that level of unamused. That was breaking new unamused grounds. “Drink. Your. Coffee.”

”Aye aye.”

As he took another sip, Dave watched Rose. She didn’t seem... upset that she had to watch him, really. It just seemed like matter of course to her. Or... “You’ve done some Seer of Light shit, haven’t you.”

Her lips quirked a little at that. “You’ve lived the last few years mostly a vampire, just without the blood lust. And you’re well on your way to mastering that. You’ll be cut loose soon enough and I can go back to being with Kanaya alone.”

”Best news I’ve heard all day,” Dave told her.

She just gave him an inscrutable look and nodded to his coffee. “You may want to finish your sugar sludge soon.”

Dave took another sip of coffee, smiling slightly. About time.

Yeah, Rose was right. He was getting hungry again.

* * *

And so time marched on, as it did when he wasn’t using his powers on it.

He tried Terezi’s blood, just to see if he could try any other troll’s blood. He managed to take a few sips before getting queasy and throwing it back up.

They worked out a schedule with Rose and Karkat. It didn’t bother either of them, since Dave really didn’t take much now that he wasn’t being a fucking idiot and was actually feeding when hungry. Not to mention he could probably just drink Karkat’s blood and be fine but sometimes he just... needed Rose’s blood. Like there was something his body was missing that only human blood had.

And right now Dave woke up, head in Karkat’s lap. They had been watching... some kind of rom-com. And it was near the end now. He could feel Karkat’s claws carding through his hair, and he reached up to rub at his eyes under the shades.

”I can keep it darker in here,” Karkat told him, a slight pout in his voice. “You can take off those ridiculous sunglasses then.”

”They’re part of the Strider brand,” Dave told him, not even lifting his head. “You have this delicious booty, you have the shades.”

One claw traced the frame, then went back to Dave’s hair. Then he felt Karkat bend down, his breath against his ear and... _fffff-_ wow. Troll fangs lightly grazing against his ear felt really nice. Like- he arched his neck, making an appreciative noise-

And blinked as Karkat whipped his sunglasses off. “Oh you play dirty.”

”Like you don’t,” was the retort as Karkat leaned back down, going back to Dave’s ear. Which was nice enough that Dave didn’t have to say anything in return. Yeah. It was nice. Fuck.

Dave shifted so he was looking up at Karkat. “You keep this up and we might ruin another couch,” he told him, trying to keep it teasing and slightly shocked when it came out low and husky.

That made Karkat look away, biting his lower lip. Tentadick hadn’t still been introduced to cock properly, but there had been quite a bit of grinding and a few hands down pants with orgasms. And a lot of that was on both of their parts; Dave was still a little hesitant to go too far considering he was still working out just how much control he had with his blood lust, and Karkat obviously had a lot of nervous virgin going on. Hell, they both did. So things went a little slow and Dave was okay with that.

Slowly, Dave sat up, kissing Karkat on the nose. “Can Town, tomorrow?”

Karkat didn’t respond at first, lower lip still captured between his teeth. Finally, he sighed, leaning forward to kiss him properly. “We’re going to pail one of these days,” he growled. “I’m going to get over this stupid thing and we’re going to do this right.”

”Hey, don’t hurt yourself trying to get there.” Dave ran a hand through his hair, bumping his horns. “I’m pretty okay with going slow. Still dealing with the whole not eating you every time we get together. We can fuck when we’re both there.”

Karkat just grumbled loudly at that, headbutting Dave lightly. “You better be right.”

”Of course I am.” Dave kissed him, then looked down in surprise as Karkat grabbed one of his wrists.

”Stay. Just... sleep here tonight.”

All the witty responses Dave had were pushed down at Karkat’s tone. He sounded so unsure of himself, so fragile. “Yeah,” he whispered, settling back down so he was resting in Karkat’s lap. “Of course.”

His eyes were closed before the second movie started, drifting off with the feeling of Karkat’s hand in his hair and the smell of his blood around him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it would take me a lot longer to finish this, but I worked on this a bit during work. Hehe. I really wanted to get this done before working on other projects.
> 
> I want to thank everyone so much for the overwhelming response! You guys are amazing.
> 
> Someone did note (in a comment that was deleted - if I did that by accident last night when I saw it before going to bed I'm sorry!) that every chapter is a lyric from Imogen Heap's The Walk. A note: the title of this fic is from her song Headlock. I thought it fit.


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